Black and White
by Silvestra
Summary: When Lily Evans turns 11, she gets an unexpected letter... Then, at school, she falls in love with James Potter. But what if you loved your husband's best friend?
1. She Will Be Loved

Chapter 1 – She Will Be Loved

Author: Silvestra

Rating: Eventually R

Genre: Romance/Angst

Summary: Lily Evans Potter's story – what if you loved your husband's best friend?

Ships: Lily/James and others that are just mentioned. More ships will be revealed as the story proceeds.

Disclaimer: The usual – our lovely JKR. I created some characters, like Lily and Petunia's parents and some of Lily's class mates.

*~*~*~*

_Surrey, Thursday 3rd of June, 1971_

A small red-haired girl lay on the grass, a book open in front of her. She was reading greedily the pages of the book, not letting her eyes look anywhere else. She was reading _The Hobbit_, one of those children's books where anything is possible.

"Oh no, Bilbo, watch out," she said eagerly when the hobbit in the book entered a cave.

"Lily! Breakfast!" Rose Evans' voice called. Lily lifted her gaze from the book and saw her mother standing on the front porch, wearing a blue dress and a white apron. 

Rose's red hair, like Lily's, was flowing a bit in the wind. Lily sighed, put a bookmark on the page she was reading, took the book and rose from the ground.

She walked to the house and entered. She smelled the bacon and eggs and she entered the kitchen where her sister, Petunia, was eating. Petunia was two years older than her and tended to be a bit annoying sometimes.

"Happy birthday, Lily," Petunia said, smiling, and gave Lily a small package wrapped in red paper. Lily blushed.

"Thank you, Petunia," she replied and started to open the package. Her eyes widened up when she saw what Petunia had given her. "Oh, Petunia! Thank you so much!" she said excitedly and opened the brand new edition of _Count of Monte Cristo_ by Alexandre Dumas. Petunia grinned and continued to eat her bacon.

"Happy eleventh birthday, dear Lily," her mother said, giving her a kiss. 

After a moment Lily's father, a man in his late thirties, stepped to the room. He embraced his daughter tightly and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. Lily laughed and received a brand new ten-pound note from his father.

"I am so sorry, darling, but I have to go to work now," George Evans said. "But when I come home, I'll take you to do some shopping, what do you say?" George smiled widely and Lily giggled in awe.

"Thanks, Daddy!" she said and smiled happily and stood on her tiptoes to give her father a kiss.

"I am leaving now, Rose," George said and gave his wife a kiss. "See you later." He put on his jacket and was ready to leave when he noticed that the mail had arrived. "Lily! A letter for you," he said in disbelief. "Must be a birthday card from your grandmother," he added when Lily took the yellowish envelope, her name written on it with green ink.

Lily went back to the kitchen, sat down and started to open the letter.

"Who is it from?" Rose asked curiously, approaching an amazed Lily. Lily couldn't say anything; her mouth was open and her eyes wide. She handed the letter to her mother, who read it out loud:

"_Dear Miss Evans,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_ Term begins on Wednesday, September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress"_

Lily's mother, father and Petunia were just as amazed as Lily herself was. Lily was – a _witch_?

"And there is more," Rose said, taking two pieces of parchment from the envelope.

"_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Evans,_

_as your daughter has been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she must buy supplies for education. As you are probably not aware of the magical part of London, our Gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid will be taking your daughter and either of you to buy the supplies. He will also guide you in anything you have to ask about._

_ Hagrid will be meeting you at the King's Cross Train Station on 31st of July at 12:00 pm._

_Albus__ Dumbledore,_

_headmaster"_

"And then there is a list of books and other things – cauldron, robes, a _wand_ – is this some sort of prank?" George Evans asked, raising an eyebrow. Rose shook her head.

"There is only one way of finding out," she said. "We'll go to London that day stated in the letter." Rose folded the letter and put it back to the envelope. George looked at his watch.

"Why did they deliver it this early, though, that's what I'm wondering," he said. "They don't usually deliver mail before nine a.m., do they?" he asked, scratching his head. Rose shook her head.

"Not indeed," she said.

Whether the letter was actual or just a prank, Lily was still excited.

*~*~*~*

As June went on, Lily became more and more excited. 

Petunia, however, was very bitter, though she didn't show it in Lily's or their parents' presence. If Lily was a witch, shouldn't she be too? 

Petunia sank into her thoughts. She was now thirteen. Had she been a witch, she would have received the letter two years ago.

"It's not true," she said to herself. "It's a joke. Lily can't be a witch." And this thought in her head, she fell asleep.

*~*~*~*

No matter how hard Petunia tried to convince herself that it was just a big joke, she couldn't. 

First, Lily was beaming with all the witch-things and the fact that she was going to a real _school_ teaching magic! 

Second, her parents were praising "how wonderful it was to have a witch in family". They seemed to have forgotten Petunia.

"Mommy, am I going to learn to do magic like Merlin in Arthur's tales?" Lily asked her mother eagerly. Petunia groaned to herself.

"I don't know, dear," Rose said, washing dishes as she spoke. Lily was sitting in the kitchen, eating an apple.

"Are you going to visit me there?"

"If it's allowed, of course we will," Rose said with a soft voice. "And Petunia will be coming too, aren't you?" Rose asked, not looking at Petunia.

  
"Yes, Mother," Petunia said with a dull voice. _After the world ends_, she thought bitterly.

*~*~*~*

"Daddy!" Lily cried on the morning of July fourteenth, when she received another letter written in green ink on yellowish parchment. "Daddy, look!" Lily handed the letter to his father, who eyed it before opening it.

"Another letter from that school of yours," George said brightly. He read the letter, frowning.

"_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Evans_

_here is Lily's ticket to Hogwarts. The train will leave from King's Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾ on 1st of September at 11:00 am sharp._

_Please remember that first-years are not allowed to bring a broomstick with them._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Minerva McGonagall"_

"Platform 9 ¾? How is that possible?" George thought out loud.

"What's that, dear?" Rose asked, raising her gaze from Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_, which she was now reading for the ninth time.

"They – sent Lily's ticket," George said. "It's only that the train leaves from Platform 9 ¾." Rose blinked a couple of times.

"But there is no such thing, is there?" she asked suspiciously. "9 and ¾..." she shook her head and continued reading.

*~*~*~*

"_Dear diary_," Petunia wrote the same evening. "_I hate this. Mum and Dad are just all "Lily's a witch how wonderful" and I can't stand it! They are completely neglecting me_."

Petunia put the pen down and heaved a deep sigh. She ran her fingers through her thick, dark brown hair and yawned.

"_Vernon keeps teasing me_," she continued. "_I might tell him that my sister's a witch and maybe he'll leave me alone_." Petunia giggled at the thought of a horrified Vernon.

"_I might just well tell him that_." Petunia closed her diary and sighed.

*~*~*~*

On the evening of July 30th, Lily and her father were talking about the London trip.

"What if we took Petunia and your mother with us? They could go to London to do some of their shopping while we are buying your supplies," George suggested.

"I'm not coming," Petunia said immediately. "I don't want to." George looked at his wife with a questioning look in his eyes.

"I thought of staying at home, too," Rose said. "I have some paperwork to do and I haven't even started with them yet. You go with Lily, we're staying home. Right, Petunia dear?" Rose looked at her first daughter.

"Yes, mum," Petunia murmured, not lifting her gaze from the magazine she was reading.

George looked at the clock on the wall.

"Well, Lily, isn't it time for you to go to bed?" he asked softly. Lily yawned and nodded.

"Good night, Dad," she said and gave her father a kiss. "Good night, Mum. Good night, Petunia," she said, giving them big hugs. Then she ran upstairs to her room and changed her pyjamas on. After a moment she heard her mother coming.

Rose walked to her and made sure she was warm under the blankets.

Just like before.

*~*~*~*

To be Continued...


	2. Imaginary

And here is the second chapter of Black & White! Thank you for the reviews, they really made my day :)

cara-meLiSsa: yes, I'm going to go through Lily's seven years at Hogwarts. I believe... Unless people stop liking the story, that is.

Saphhrine: thanks for the review, love! I'm eagerly waiting that you update Intuition :)

*~*~*~*

_Saturday, 31st of July, 1971_

Lily Evans woke up at eight o'clock next morning, too excited to eat breakfast or do any of her usual morning rituals. She got up from the bed and ran to her parents' bedroom, where her father and mother were still sleeping peacefully, George Evans' soft snoring filling the room.

"Daddy, Daddy, wake up!" Lily cried, pulling the blanket off her father. George opened his eyes sleepily and looked at his watch.

"Lily, honey, it's – five past eight," he muttered, slowly getting up from the bed. Next to him Rose Evan continued to sleep without any distraction. She had always been a heavy sleeper. George looked at his wife lovingly and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

"Let's go downstairs," George said, lifting Lily up. "Let's not wake up your mother or she'll be furious," he said and Lily giggled.

"When are we going to London, Daddy?" Lily asked eagerly. George laughed and put her daughter down. They were on the root of the stairs and Lily was squirming excitedly in his father's lap.

"A bit later, dear," he replied and walked to the kitchen. Lily ran after him and sat down by the table. "What do you want for breakfast?" George asked.

"Bacon and eggs and toast," Lily said absent-mindedly. All she could think were all things witchy – witch's hat, robes, a toad, an owl. She giggled when she remembered the witches in fairy tales, the witches that had a big wart in the nose.

Suddenly Petunia stepped into the kitchen, yawning widely and wearing a dark green pyjama.

"Good morning, Petunia-dear," George said when his older daughter gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning, Dad," she replied and sat down, facing Lily. "So, you're still excited about going to that weird school, eh?" she said quietly. Lily nodded eagerly.

"Of course I am," she said with a bit hurt voice. "And it's not a weird school." Petunia snorted.

"Well what is it then, if not weird? _I_, for one, don't know many schools that teach how to say abracadabra or how to enchant white bunnies off thin air," she said nastily.

"Petunia," George said warningly. She rolled her eyes.

"You know it's not possible to do magic," Petunia said quietly, in a way that only Lily heard. "I'm sure it's a joke."

"It's _not_ a joke, Petunia," Lily said angrily. "You are just jealous because you didn't get a letter!" she snapped. Petunia narrowed her eyes.

"At least I'm normal," she spat before darting out of the kitchen and running to her room. George looked after her and shook his head.

"What's _wrong_ with her?" Lily asked, flabbergasted. "I didn't do anything. She _is jealous, I can tell."_

"That's the point, dear," George said, sighing deeply. He took the frying pan and two plates, putting two slices of bacon and some eggs on both of them. He took a can of orange juice from the fridge and two glasses from the cupboard and poured juice for himself and Lily.

"Petunia is jealous because she is not a witch," he said seriously, taking a sip of his juice. "You must understand how she must feel like, being so different from you now," he continued.

"I didn't _want_ to be a witch. What can I do about it?" Lily asked sadly. "What if I don't like to be in the school?" she asked suddenly.

"Then we'll resign you," George said with a soft voice. "You can go to an ordinary school if you don't enjoy yourself at that school." Lily nodded. "Anyway, we'll meet that Rubeus Hagrid today, you can ask him about anything you have in mind about that school, can't you?" he said encouragingly.

"Yes," she replied, taking a bit from her toast. George smiled widely.

"That's my girl," he said and they both laughed.

*~*~*~*

"So, here we are, then," George Evans said when he and his daughter arrived at the King's Cross Station a couple of hours later. Lily squeezed her father's hand in excitement. He looked around, as if trying to find this Rubeus Hagrid they were supposed to meet.

"Hullo there," they heard someone say. Lily turned around and gasped – there was the biggest person she had ever seen. And with him was a small, thin boy who had sandy hair and a shy expression.

"Er – so, you must be Rubeus Hagrid, then?" George said and shook the giant's hand.

"Too right yeh are," Hagrid said, smiling widely. "I s'pose this is Lily, then," he said, nodding towards her. "Yes... Remus here, he's a Muggle born as well," Hagrid continued.

"A – _Muggle_ – born?" George repeated slowly.

"Oh yeah," Hagrid said, scratching his head. "Muggle – means non-magic folk," he explained and George nodded. "C'mon, now, say hi to Lily," Hagrid suggested and patted the boy's shoulder. Remus blushed and stepped towards Lily who was eyeing him curiously.

"I am Lily Evans," Lily said bravely, holding out her hand. Remus lifted his gaze. He looked at Lily's hand and lifted his own, shook her hand and smiled.

"Remus Lupin," he said quietly. Lily smiled widely.

"Nice to meet you, Remus," she said.

"Well – you too," he forced himself to say. Hagrid smiled widely behind his beard.

"We better get goin' now, we've lots to buy and talk 'bout," Hagrid said and George nodded. "Firs' of all, yeh need to exchange yer money, they don' accept Muggle money," Hagrid said. George nodded again.

"And – where are we going to do that, if I may ask?" George asked politely. Hagrid smiled.

"In Gringotts," he said. "A wizardin' bank, 'tis in Diagon Alley." Lily exchanged a look with Remus. The boy shrugged. "So, as I said, let's get goin'."

*~*~*~*

Lily, her father and Remus followed Hagrid to the Leaky Cauldron. They stepped out of the back door and Lily watched in awe, how Hagrid tapped some bricks in the wall. A hole opened in the wall and a moment later they were on Diagon Alley, a completely wizards-dedicated street.

When they arrived to Gringotts, Lily gasped and Remus held his breathe. The building was enormous; many double doors had to be entered before they saw a teller where a bitter-looking goblin was writing a parchment.

"Hello there," Hagrid said and took a deep breathe. The goblin lifted his eyes from the parchment. "I came to get some money for Remus here – " Hagrid pointed at Remus who blushed " – and they want to change Muggle money," he explained.

"Very well," the goblin croaked. "What is your name?" Hagrid pronounced his name loudly and the goblin wrote it down. "Follow Knobbler there, he'll lead you to your vault," the goblin said and pointed a young goblin dressed in red and golden suit. Hagrid smiled at the goblin and he and Remus set off.

"Hello," George Evans said, after taking a deep breathe.

"You want to have Wizard money, eh?" the goblin said with a sour voice. "What's your name?"

"Eh – George Evans," Lily's father said. He couldn't take his eyes off the goblin; he had never seen anything like it before. "But the money is for my daughter here, Lily," he said and pulled Lily in front of him. Lily looked at the goblin, her eyes wide.

"How much?" goblin asked.

"Er – well, I have fifty pounds to change to – Wizard money," George said slowly.

"Very well," the goblin said and received the notes from George. The goblin opened a cashier and took some golden and silver coins. "Here you go," he said and handed ten golden coins and some silver ones. George stared at them for a while.

"Ah – thank you," he muttered and smiled. He took a few steps backwards and turned to his daughter. "Here, Lily – " he gave Lily the coins. "I think – I think this is enough. We will of course have to open an account for you here," he added a bit proudly. Lily nodded and looked at her father in awe.

"Thank you, Dad," she said and pocketed the money.

"Now, where did – Hagrid and Remus go?" he wondered, looking at Lily.

"They are coming soon," the goblin behind the counter said. "Now will you please step aside, you are blocking the way, sir." George blushed a bit.

"I am very sorry," he muttered, took Lily's hand and stepped aside.

And, soon enough, Hagrid and Remus Lupin stepped out from a room, Hagrid carrying a small bag which, according to the chiming, included wizard coins.

"Got yer money already, eh?" he asked, smiling at Lily. "Good. Let's go then."

*~*~*~*

"Now, first thing I'd suggest yeh to buy, are the robes," Hagrid said, once they were back at Diagon Alley, wondering where to start from. "I'd say yer go to Madame Malkin's – it's over there – it's the best robes shop there is, and reasonably priced," he added.

"Ah – alright," George said, nodding.

"After the robes, yeh should buy the cauldron and Potions supplies and such. Then, the books. Wand should be the last thing to be purchased. An' if yeh want to buy an animal, like an owl or a toad, yeh might want to do it right before yeh leave," Hagrid said.

"Did you hear, Lily?" George asked, beaming. "What animal would you like to have?" he asked.

"Owls are good 'cause they can deliver letters," Hagrid said. "Toads are very likely to get lost. Cats then, they are a diff'rent thing."

"I – I would like an owl, Dad," Lily said. "So I can write letters to you when I'm away," she added, smiling widely.

"An owl it is, then. But we shall first buy the other things first, like Mr. Hagrid said," George said.

  
"Mister Evans, just call me Hagrid," Hagrid said cheerfully.

"Right," George said.

"Daddy, let's go, I want to buy my robes," Lily begged, jumping up and down. Hagrid smiled.

"Now she's got the right attitude," he said and they all laughed.

From the corner of her eye Lily noticed Remus was looking at her. She turned her eyes towards Remus who quickly turned away his gaze and blushed deeply.

*~*~*~*

After buying the cauldron, robes, books and so on, Hagrid led Lily and George to Ollivander's where Lily would purchase the item she had been most anxiously waiting to buy – her wand.

Mr. Ollivander was an old, silver-haired man with magical-looking eyes. He seemed a bit grumpy but when he greeted Hagrid, it was in a way you greet an old friend.

"Well, well. And who is this young lady?" Mr. Ollivander asked politely when approaching Lily and George.

"Lily Evans," she said shyly. "I am here to buy a wand," she added. Mr. Ollivander laughed a bit.

"But of course you are. Now, let's see..." Mr. Ollivander disappeared somewhere between the shelves and returned after a while, carrying a big pile of long, narrow boxes. He opened one of them and carefully, lovingly, took a wand from it.

"Here. Oak, ten inches and a unicorn hair as the core," he said and handed Lily the wand. "Give it a swing, dear."

Lily swung the wand and some wand boxes fell from the shelves. Lily blushed deeply and gave the wand back.

Mr. Ollivander had to give Lily many wands to try, but finally he seemed to have found a matching wand. He smiled, touched the wand gently and handed it to her.

"This one is great for Charms. Quite swishy, if we might say. Willow, ten and a quarter inches long, including a centaur hair," he said, watching curiously as Lily took the wand.

Lily didn't have to swing it. She felt a sudden warmth as she took the wand and it lit up, illuminating the dimly lighted room. Mr. Ollivander smiled widely. He took the wand from her, put it back to its box and gave it back.

"That would be seven Galleons," he said. Lily handed him almost all the money she had left from the other supplies and put the box in her bag. "It was nice to do business with you, Miss Evans," Ollivander said, accepting the money.

Then he looked at Remus.

"Let's find you a wand, shall we?"

Remus only had to try three wands. His wand was made of Yew, it was eleven inches long and it had a wolf's hair as the core. Hagrid paid for Remus' wand and the four of them left Ollivander's.

*~*~*~*

After Mr. Evans bought her daughter a beautiful Eagle owl, Lily and her father were ready to leave.

Remus Lupin and Hagrid, however, stayed at Diagon Alley. Suddenly George Evans remembered Lily's train ticket.

"Excuse me, Hagrid," he started politely.

"Yes?" Hagrid asked.

"It's this ticket," George said, taking the ticket from his pocket. "Platform 9 ¾. There is no such thing, is there?" he said suspiciously. Hagrid let out a hearty laugh.

"Ah, I knew I'd forget to tell yeh 'bout it," he replied. "Let's jus' meet at King's Cross on the First of September and someone'll show yeh how to get there," he said, smiling behind his bushy beard.

"Ah," George said, smiling back. "Very well, then. Eh – we'll meet you in September, then, right?" he held out his hand and Hagrid shook it as a goodbye.

"Too righ' yeh are," Hagrid grinned. "Have a nice ride home!"

A moment later Lily and her father were back in the Muggle world again, walking to King's Cross.

*~*~*~*

When Lily went to sleep the same evening, she curiously took one of her text books. It was called _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk. She read about some simple spells and uttered them out loud, practising the pronunciation._

When her father came to give her a good night's kiss, he found his daughter asleep, a spell book open on her stomach. He smiled to himself, put the book away and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Good night, Lily," he whispered.

After he left, Lily smiled in her sleep.

*~*~*~*

To Be Continued...

A bit lame ending, yeah. In the next chapter Lily will finally go to Hogwarts and befriend James, Sirius and Remus and some girls on her year. I _promise_ the next chapter will be longer!


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